1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to toy vehicle track accessories with moving parts and, more particularly, to a toy grain loader assembly and grain car for inclusion in a toy vehicle railway system.
2. Background
In the toy vehicle industry, small toy trains are often run on plastic or wooden tracks. These railway systems are designed to grow with the child. In other words, railway configurations can range from very simple ovals to complex systems incorporating bridges, buildings, tunnels, and towns. Many other accessories are available as well, such as toy figurines, bushes, shrubs, and trees to lend the system a realistic effect; playmats, playboards, and play tables on which to build a railway system; carry bags and boxes in which to store the railway system when not in use; and, storybooks, iron-ons, decals, and coloring books to further stimulate the child""s imagination.
The railway configurations are built from individual track sections. The track sections range in size and shape. There are countless possibilities for individual track sections: some are straight; some feature switching mechanisms; some are curved; and, some are ascending for connection to another track positioned at a higher level.
One of the most important aspects of these railway systems is that the track sections be interchangeable. Accordingly, most track sections include male and/or female connectors at opposing ends. This allows the track sections to be connected end to end in a variety of configurations. Adding to the interchangeability of the track sections is the fact that these track sections are usually reversible having rails impregnated on both sides.
In addition, designers are constantly seeking to impart realism to the toy railway systems. In order to do this, designers have sought to introduce miniature accessories that resemble their real life counterparts. For example, locomotive turntables, highway crossings, lighthouses, tunnels, engine sheds, platform stations, draw bridges, windmills, and locomotive roundhouses are but a few of the many accessories available to add realism to the toy railway systems.
In particular, designers have discovered that children enjoy playing with accessories that have moving parts and/or produce sounds. Accordingly, many of the accessories currently available include movable parts such as levers, rotational handles, lifting mechanisms, and the like. Other accessories produce sounds. These include toy tracks that are designed to reproduce the sound an actual locomotive makes as it travels on actual train tracks, and locomotive whistles.
Thus, toy designers are always seeking to improve toy railway systems by introducing novel and interesting accessories which will capture a child""s imagination.
This invention relates to a toy vehicle set accessory having moving parts such as a grain loader. The grain loader is devised to be incorporated into a toy vehicle railway system. The grain loader comprises a grain elevator assembly and a housing through which a toy vehicle can travel.
The grain elevator assembly includes a grain storage bin, a hopper, and an activation handle which when turned, transfers simulated grain pellets from the grain storage bin to the hopper. The storage bin includes a transfer belt for moving the grain pellets upwardly towards the hopper.
The hopper is produced from a transparent material. This allows the pellets to be visible as they are transferred from the grain storage bin. The hopper has a return chute through which the pellets return to the grain storage bin.
The housing comprises opposing side walls, a roof, an entrance, and an exit. The housing also includes a pair of parallel grooves on which a toy vehicle may travel. A first magnet is imbedded in each of the end walls.
A toy vehicle grain car is used in combination with the grain loader. A self-contained, rotatable load is stored within the toy vehicle. The rotatable load includes a flat, simulated wood surface on one side for simulating an empty grain car and a curved, simulated grain surface on an opposing side for simulating a laden grain car.
The toy vehicle comprises a pair of opposing side walls which are joined by a pair of opposing end walls. Each end wall includes a recess for receiving the outwardly projecting pins of the rotatable load. The rotatable load is spring loaded within the vehicle body so that the simulated grain surface is facing upwardly when the rotatable load is in its stable condition.
A release mechanism is located along one of the side walls. The rotatable load is in its unstable condition when the spring is stressed. When the release mechanism is activated, the force from the spring returns the rotatable load to its stable orientation with the simulated grain surface facing upwardly.